


Max the Detective

by ItsaVikingThing, Lola_McGee



Series: Ambers Anonymous [3]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Because this series is a whole thing now, F/F, Hope no one noticed I forgot to write tags and a summary, Humour, Lots of setup, Maybe - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-13
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2019-01-08 18:09:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12259467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsaVikingThing/pseuds/ItsaVikingThing, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lola_McGee/pseuds/Lola_McGee
Summary: Max has just arrived at Blackwell.Things are still very much in the air with her sort of (ex-)girlfriend, Rachel Amber.And with her definitely (sort of ex-) best friend, Chloe.She also needs to unpack.But before Max can deal with any of those issues, she has to contend with an angry Victoria Chase.Victoria needs a detective.Pretty soon, Max needs a lie down.





	Max the Detective

Max has been in her dorm room at Blackwell for less than an hour when she hears a knock on the door.

For a second, she thinks it might be Rachel. Her stomach twists, her heart lurches, her brain says it's the wrong kind of knock.

It's too precise, and too loud.

Max opens her door, takes one look at the person on the other side of it, and quickly shuts it again.

It's pure reflex rather than anything involving Max's rational brain.

A voice on the other side says, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

It's Blonde Prime. Also known as Victoria Chase. 

Max hadn't exactly forgotten that she'd be attending the same school as the terrifying girl she accidentally robbed a couple of months ago.

But she hadn't exactly expected to be _remembered_ , much less visited by her, either.

"I'm not knocking again," Blonde Prime declares from the other side of the door.

Implicit in this statement is the inevitability that the door will be opening, whether Max wants it to or not.

Since she doesn't want her dorm door broken down on her first day at Blackwell, Max opens it, revealing Victoria in all her scary.

Max says, "Uh..."

Victoria is taller than Max, better put together than anyone Max has ever met, and is wearing a pearl necklace and earrings that Max thinks might be worth more than everything in Max's possession.

Her eyes are narrowed into green drills that bore into Max. Her arms are folded. Her fingernails are beautifully shaped and painted, and restless as a cat's claws, drumming against her bicep beneath a sleeve with a thread count Max doesn't have the math to calculate.

"...hi?" Max concludes, weakly.

Victoria rolls her eyes. "Scintillating. You should write these things down, Max. You don't want to forget them."

"Uh...you know my name?"

"Oh, so it wasn't a fluke? Ugh! Did you take my phone?"

Max blinks. "Yes? In Seattle? I thought we'd-"

"No! Today, idiot!"

Max looks at Victoria's left hand, which is holding a phone.

"Um...no?"

Victoria narrows her eyes. "I'm searching your room."

On the one hand, searching Max's room would involve actually unpacking all of Max's stuff, which would be useful.

But the prospect of Victoria in Max's space, digging through all of her things is not an enticing one.

Max thinks for a second. "That's Taylor's phone, isn't it?"

Victoria looks ever so slightly surprised for the merest sliver of a second. For an even more ephemeral breath, something else flickers across her face that Max doesn't quite get.

Max doesn't get a lot of things, though, especially when it comes to people.

Victoria says, "It's Courtney's. And it's _annoying_ , because Courtney and Taylor can't split up to search for my phone."

Max wonders, not for the first time, how Victoria makes friends. She picks them, Max supposes, and informs them, perhaps by telegram, or via a process server, that they are Victoria's friends now, for as long as she might deem them worthy, and that they have duties to perform.

Max sighs. "I...look, I just got here! When would I have had a chance to steal your phone? And why would I? You're sc...uh, your stuff is yours."

Victoria scoffs. "Like I can trust anything _you_ say. You're Rachel's little plaything. She's probably behind this."

And that hurts, mostly because Max thinks Victoria might be right about the plaything part.

Rachel Amber is...a fucking mess of a human. A glorious, beautiful, exciting, gorgeous, enticing, entirely kissable, devious, funny, heart-palpitating, reckless, talented, just _so_ good-smelling mess.

She's capriciously kind. She's wittily, and hopefully unwittingly, cruel.

She's sort of Max's first girlfriend.

Well, she was.

Max sort of dumped her. It was the hardest thing Max has ever had to do, even though Rachel had seriously violated Max's privacy, and forced a surprise reunion between Max and Chloe, her long-lost best friend, when she could easily have...not done things that way.

Max's next door neighbour is still talking to her, after Rachel's last visit. More often than she used to.

Mostly about Jesus.

And that's...all because Rachel got an idea in her head, and decided to have fun with it.

In truth, Rachel's been playing games with Max since they first met. 

Max isn't sure how she feels about Rachel, except...she feels very intense things about Rachel.

Max hasn't seen her yet. She dreads their reunion every bit as much as her body longs for it.

Max hasn't seen Chloe, either. That's a whole other mess, mostly of Max's making. It's a different kind of complicated, with less lust involved, but setting things right with Chloe is no less troubling a prospect than figuring out how to deal with Rachel.

In a way, Victoria Chase is the least scary person who could be knocking on Max's door.

Victoria clicks her fingers in Max's face, yanking her back to the present. 

"Are you fucking narcoleptic or just dumb?"

Least scary of the three. Kind of. Maybe.

Max shakes herself. "I'm...I haven't seen Rachel. I...haven't really spoken to her recently, okay? Now I'd like to finish unpacking. Please."

Victoria considers this information. She purses her lips. At length she says, "No."

She grabs Max's wrist, a tiny flicker of distaste crossing her features, and yanks Max into the corridor.

Max panics, fearing that Victoria is dragging her somewhere with the intention of making Max into one of Victoria's friends. "Hey! L-let me go!"

Victoria does, but only after she's slammed Max's door behind them. 

Victoria says, "Rachel claims you're some kind of detective. You're going to find my phone."

Max gapes at her. "That's...not how life works."

Victoria snorts. "It is today, obviously. Come on. Get detecting!"

Max has two choices: she can do what Victoria wants, or she can be made to do what Victoria wants.

Max sighs. "I really need to unpack, and...uh...let's just retrace your steps today, okay? I'm sure it'll turn up."

Victoria frowns. "That's... boring. _You're_ boring. Why does Rachel think you're interesting?"

Max isn't sure that Rachel does. Or at least, not for the right reasons. She decides to ignore that question.

"Real detective work _is_ boring. According to...television shows I've seen. Uh. The ones that...seem more believable than all the other TV detective shows, that is. Most of them are really unconvincing...so...boring is probably real. I guess?"

Max shuffles her feet and tries not to wilt entirely under Victoria's glare.

Victoria watches her for several very uncomfortable seconds. At last she sighs, and says, "This is already the most painful day of my fucking life. Find my phone so we never have to talk to each other ever again."

* * *

Victoria leads her through the school grounds, apparently retracing her steps.

But rather than searching, Victoria spends most of her time glued to Courtney's phone while Max looks for any kind of clue.

Not for the first time in her life, she finds herself without one.

Of course, it easily could be Rachel who's to blame.

But...that doesn't seem right, somehow.

"Your face is weird."

"Huh?" Max blinks at Victoria, who Max is surprised to see is watching her intently.

Victoria huffs. "I mean, your face got _weirder_. You've thought of something. Finally figure out who the guilty party is?"

Max tries blinking again. It doesn't help much. "Um. No? Because Rachel didn't take your phone."

Victoria's face cycles through several emotions before settling on grumpier. "Yes, she did. She's the only klepto I know who thinks she can get away with shit like this. Let's go confront her, already."

Max shakes her head. "Rachel's trying to do better. She wouldn't do this."

Not twice. That would be boring. And that's the real reason Max is confident of Rachel's innocence.

Victoria scoffs. "Oh, please! Rachel's perfectly capable of...Taylor?"

Max turns in the direction of Victoria's glare. Taylor and another girl are walking through the quad, chatting and giggling.

Max presumes that the pretty, aburn-haired girl swatting playfully at Taylor's arm must be Courtney.

Courtney spots Victoria first. She smiles. Taylor looks...less happy.

"Hey, Victoria!" Courtney jogs over to them. She beams at Max. "Hi! You're new! I'm Dana. Nice to meet you!"

Max smiles nervously. "Hi! I'm Cour...uh, Max! I'm Max. Nice to meet you!"

Taylor reluctantly joins them. "Hey...Seattle, right?"

Max glances at Victoria, who seems content to silently fume. "Uh, yeah. The, uh, mix up in the park..."

Dana gasps. "Oh my god! _You're_ Rachel's..."

Dana trails off, abruptly awkward.

Which, Max realises, is a perfect description. She is, as far as Arcadia Bay is concerned, Rachel's ellipsis.

Max folds her arms. She squeezes her elbow. Hard. "I...didn't know people knew about that."

Dana smiles apologetically. "I'm sorry! Word gets around in Blackwell, is all. And Rachel's sort of...a star. Everyone knows her, so..." 

Dana glances at Taylor, who carefully studies the grass at her feet.

Max wants to run, but there's nowhere to run to. She can't outrun gossip.

Taylor looks up, nervous, and opens her mouth, but Victoria cuts her off. "We're in the middle of something. Looks like you were, too. Max, come."

Victoria turns on her heel and strides away.

Taylor bites her lip and watches Victoria go.

Max lingers long enough to say goodbye.

She has to run to catch up with Victoria, who doesn't once look back.

Max does, which is why she sees Dana step closer to Taylor, and touch her pinkie to Taylor's wrist.

* * *

Victoria leads Max back to the dorms. 

Victoria doesn't say anything, so Max doesn't either.

Not until Victoria stops in front of a door, and bangs the heel of her hand against it.

Max flinches at the noise. "Uh, who are we bothering?"

Victoria doesn't answer. She doesn't need to. Even before the door opens, Max knows who's going to be on the other side of it.

Rachel Amber isn't as tall as Victoria. She isn't as well dressed. In fact, she's just wearing jeans and a t-shirt, a little light makeup, and her only jewellery is a blue feather earring.

It's not much of an ensemble, compared to Victoria. If you stood the two next to each other, well...

Everyone would be looking at Rachel.

She's magnetic.

She's...looking at Max, and ignoring Victoria.

"Max? I...hi. You made it!"

Rachel fiddles with her hair, and smiles. She looks a little nervous. She looks a lot amazing.

Max's heart strains against her ribs, trying to drag her whole body across the foot of space that separates them.

Victoria snaps, "You stole my phone! Give it the fuck back!"

Rachel snorts, but doesn't takes her eyes off of Max. "I did not, Victoria. I'm...not playing any games today."

"Bullshit!" Victoria grabs Max's shoulder and shoves her towards Rachel. "Get her to give it up. I'm going to my room before you two give me a fucking migraine."

Rachel backs up a step, giving Max space without quite inviting her in. 

Max is surprised to find she almost misses Victoria. "Um...hi?"

Max winces. 

Rachel laughs. "Well, that's as good a place to start as any. How...are you?"

"I'm...trying to move in. But Victoria's been, uh, showing me around."

Rachel snorts. "Right. Victoria's just looking for people to take her Taylor rage out on. Come on, I'll help you unpack."

"Are you just looking for an excuse to snoop through my stuff?" Max tries to ask it playfully, but it comes out flat and accusatory.

Rachel doesn't seem to notice. She gasps dramatically. "Max! How could you? You know I never _just_ do anything!"

She offers Max the right kind of smile, tinged with nerves.

Not at all sure if it's the right thing to do, Max accepts.

* * *

Rachel's t-shirt bears a thin outline of a heart, just barely shaded in. Above the heart are the words: Not For The.

As Max lets Rachel into her room, she wonders if she's too late to heed the warning.

"I love what you've done with the place," Rachel says, waving her hand to indicate Max's boxes, and the pile of clothes, books, camera gear, and other odds and ends spilling out of them.

"Victoria interrupted me." 

Rachel smiles. Her lips are red and warm. "Well, she's an asshole. She's trying to start drama with me. You know I'm innocent, right?"

Max nods. "Yeah. If you stole her phone, that'd be repetitive. And a bad way to manipulate me."

Rachel's smile bleeds out. "Fuck, Max. That's...cold."

Max turns away. "Anyway. Uh...if you want to help, clothes and bedding on the bed, books on the couch, camera and computer stuff on the desk."

"And where does that leave us?" Rachel's tone is light. So light, it's delicate.

Max avoids looking at her face. "On the floor, I guess. Wherever there's room to stand."

Rachel sighs. "Okay. But for the record? Worst double entendres _ever_."

Max bites her lip, because even with her back turned she doesn't want Rachel to sense her smile.

* * *

The unpacking makes progress, in spite of Rachel's tendency to exclaim over Max's photographs, her camera gear, and her guitar.

There's a moment when Rachel is holding the guitar where Rachel seems to verge on asking Max to serenade her. In the end, she strums a few chords and puts the guitar aside.

It's a relief. It's a disappointment that twists up Max's stomach.

After five minutes of near silence, Max groans. She faces Rachel. "This sucks."

Rachel nods. "Yeah. It does. How can I...actually, _can_ I change that?"

Max shakes her head. "I don't know. I've never been in a situation like this. I've never known anyone like you, either."

"Maybe the problem is you don't really know me," Rachel says slowly. "Maybe we should work on that? If you want?"

Max sighs. "Yeah. I do want that. But...I think it's going to take time. Maybe we could start with...lunch? Or something?"

Rachel smiles her most dazzling smile. "Lunch tomorrow. It's a date!"

"It's...lunch, Rachel," Max says, carefully.

Max's heart thumps painfully, furious with her. 

Rachel laughs. "Right! It's just a figure of speech, Max."

"You don't _just_ do anything, Rachel."

To Max's relief, Rachel's smile merely softens. "You're sharp as ever. I'm sure you'll find Victoria's thief, too."

Max laughs. "Thanks, but...I'm not actually a detective. And it's probably just missing."

Rachel shrugs. "Probably. I have complete faith in you finding it, though, Max. I believe in you."

It's surprisingly easy to believe Rachel.

Max hasn't really had anyone exhibit this much faith in her since Chloe was a constant in her life.

Max wonders if it's possible she could get that back with Chloe.

She wonders if it's possible that she could have something more with Rachel. They've taken the first step, at least. They're talking again.

And...Rachel _is_ trying. There's no trickery, no attempt to dazzle. Just a quiet warmth in her eyes when she looks at Max.

It's possible to imagine that they could work things out. Somehow. Eventually.

Maybe Max needs someone to shove her into Chloe's path next. Or maybe she should borrow Rachel's faith in her, and she should just text Chloe, right now, and...

Max blinks. "Huh."

Rachel, sorting through Max's clothes with a critical eye, says, "What is it? Oh, I have a belt that would go perfectly with this."

Max blinks. "Uh...I know who has Victoria's phone. But are you dressing me up, now? Because that's a bit much."

Rachel holds up her hands. "Okay, okay! It would be _really_ cute, though...wait, what? You solved the crime? I knew you would!"

Max groans and rubs her neck.

"Why aren't you celebrating your own genius and the restoration of my good name?"

"Because I need to talk to Victoria. And...I'm not sure how good your name is, Rachel."

"My name is delightful, Max. As am I."

She smirks just the right sort of smirk, but her fingers seek something to cling to in the grain of her jeans.

Max smiles around a sigh. "Staying mad at you takes so much work."

Rachel nods, solemnly. "Not really worth the effort, is it? I'll be your backup. Let's go cheer up Victoria."

* * *

Max needs three goes before her knuckles do more than graze Victoria's door.

Rachel snorts and hammers on the door. "You can't afford to show weakness in front of predators, Max."

Max carefully says nothing to that. Thankfully, Victoria yanks the door open before Rachel can see Max's expression.

Victoria glares at them and snaps, "What? Can't you just update your relationship status on Facebook like everyone else?"

Rachel's eyes narrow. "Vic. You're going to want to be more careful."

Max quickly says, "I came to give you your phone back."

Victoria tries to hide her surprise behind a scowl. "Uh...right. Okay? G-give it, then."

Max hesitates. "Well, I'm not sure _exactly_ where it is. Just who has it."

Victoria scoffs. "Oh, please. You're wasting my time. Forget it, Max. I'm tired of dealing with you. _Both_ of you."

Max bites her lip. Softly, she says, "Rachel? Could you give us a minute?"

"What? But this is the parlour scene! I want to watch you be brilliant! And not make you cry this time! Uh..." Rachel hangs her head. "Yeah, okay. I'll finish unboxing your stuff."

Max isn't sure what surprises her more: that Rachel goes, or that Victoria stays.

Victoria folds her arms and drums her fingers against her bicep and glares at Max, but this time, Max doesn't wilt.

Victoria's eyes are a little redder than the last time Max saw them.

"Well?" Victoria demands.

"If I had to guess, I'd say your phone is in your desk drawer. It was never stolen. You hid it."

Victoria's fingers cease their dance. "Bullshit! Why would I do that?"

"Because you needed an excuse to drag me out of my room. And you wanted me and Rachel to talk as soon as possible, I guess."

"You think I give a shit about you, Max?"

Max shakes her head. "I think you give a shit about Rachel. Even if you don't like showing it. You know when she needs help, and I'm guessing she's bad at asking for it. Has she been doing okay?"

Victoria's fingers briefly tighten on her sleeve. Her eyebrow twitches. "She's...been moping. Which is annoying. For some people."

For the first time, Max wonders if Victoria even knows how to make friends. She wonders if Victoria is maybe as bad at Max is at keeping them.

"It's been awkward, but...I guess you helped us break the ice. So, thanks." Max takes a deep breath. "And, um, about Taylor...?"

Victoria breathes in and out. Her breath is slightly ragged on the exhale. "Fuck off, Max."

Max flinches. "I...sorry. I just wanted to say, I don't know what's going on with Taylor, but..." Max sighs. "I fucked up, Victoria. I really fucked up with my best friend. I lost her because I was too scared to stay in touch after I moved to Seattle. And now I'm back, I'm _still_ too scared to talk to her. I don't want to fuck it up again, you know?"

Max slumps and lets her head fall forward, bumping her forehead against the frame of Victoria's door. "She...she deserves better than the way I treated her. And I feel guilty. And I don't know how to deal with it. Which sucks, and scares me even more. But...if I don't talk to her, I'll never get her back."

There's a silence that feels long and is very awkward.

"Max..." Victoria trails off, frowning. "Look. I'm not hugging you. Or whatever. But..." Victoria swallows, and grits her teeth. "Good...talk. Ugh! Now go away."

Max laughs, weakly. "Okay. You can give Courtney her phone back, at any rate. I won't tell Rachel what you did."

Victoria shrugs. "I didn't do anything. Courtney probably knocked my phone off my desk this morning. I expect I'll find my phone on the floor, behind the desk." Victoria narrows her eyes. "I'll destroy you if you ever say otherwise."

Max pushes herself upright. "Whatever you say, Victoria."

Max turns to her own door. Before she can open it, Victoria says, "I'll admit, though...you're maybe not _completely_ boring, Max."

She slams her door shut before Max can think of a response.

* * *

Rachel's sitting on Max's desk, idly plucking at the strings of her guitar.

On the one hand, it doesn't look like she's done much unpacking. On the other, it doesn't look like she's been eavesdropping, either.

Rachel smiles at her, and Max abruptly feels shitty for being so suspicious.

"Hey, Max. Get everything sorted?"

"I guess. Maybe. With Victoria, at least."

Rachel puts Max's guitar down. Carefully. "Do you want to finish unpacking?"

The way she asks it...it sounds like she knows the answer is going to be no.

Max shakes her head. "Rachel...I'm not trying to kick you out, or anything. But I think I need to...talk to Chloe. I...think I need to do that now. And..."

Rachel nods, her smile warm. "That's okay. By a _weird_ coincidence, Chloe is on her way here. She'll be pulling into the parking lot in the world's ugliest truck in about..." Rachel glances at her phone. "Ten minutes. Why don't you give her a good surprise this time?"

"You invited her over?" Max bites her lip.

"Yeah." Rachel hesitates. "Is that okay?"

"Maybe ask first next time?" Max says, wryly.

Rachel bobs her head in a gesture that could be mistaken for agreement. "Well. I'll get out of your way. I'm just down the hall if you need me."

She stands up, and stretches. She picks her way through the mess on the floor until she's right in front of Max.

Max tries not to stare. She tries not to think about how good Rachel smells.

Tentatively, watching for Max's disapproval, Rachel crosses into Max's space, and briefly hugs her.

Max hasn't made up her mind about hugging back by the time Rachel pulls away.

Rachel says, "Dawn."

"Huh?"

"It's my middle name." Rachel tilts her head, studying Max. She smiles, just the barest curve of the lips that doesn't quite hide the worry in her eyes. "Getting to know me stuff. Starting simple. See you, Max."

She steps around Max, but before she can go, Max says, "Wait!"

Rachel pauses, quirking an eyebrow.

Before Max can think better of it, she hugs Rachel. It's an awkward angle, and an awkward hug, but Max still enjoys the brief moment wrapped in Rachel's scent and warmth.

Rachel grins at her when she pulls away, the happiest Max has seen her so far. "Well...I'm looking forward to tomorrow! Oh, uh, a word of advice? You might want to hide that big box of cookies before Chloe gets here."

And Max kind of wants to groan, because no one around here seems to ever say what they mean about each other. She settles for saying, "Yeah. Thanks, Rachel."

When Rachel leaves, Max tidies some space on the couch. It's mostly just so she doesn't run the risk of bumping into Rachel.

She grabs her bag, and loads her Polaroid and some film into it.

Max doesn't get a lot of things about people, but she's learning. That's why she stuffs the box of cookies in, too.

She leaves her room in its messy state, and walks to the exit.

When she gets outside, she gives in gladly to the urgency inside her and sprints to the parking lot.

* * *

Max sits at the bottom of the steps to the lot. She has enough time to recover her breath before Chloe pulls up.

There's no mistaking Chloe's truck. It's so perfectly and variously rusted it looks like she found it in a modern art exhibit.

Max almost didn't recognise Chloe the first time she saw her, what with the blue hair, and the tattoos, and the three or four feet of height she seems to have gained. But now, watching her get out of her truck, Max is struck by all the familiar things.

The way she hops out of the cab. The way she slams the door, heedless of the noise. The way she takes long, loping strides round the side of the truck. And if the habit of pausing to light a cigarette is new, the look of concentration on her face, and the way her brows pull down, well...it reminds Max of afternoons spent drawing, of how focused Chloe gets when she's doing something she cares about.

Max stands up, legs trembling, and says, "Hey! Uh...I'm here."

Chloe looks up from her task, looks at her, and slowly smiles. "Rachel can't fucking help herself, huh?"

"She's...a work in progress."

Chloe strides towards Max, looking her up and down. "What about you?"

"I..." Max looks down, and all the things she wants to say, the merest fraction of which she blurted so easily to Victoria, expand within her, blocking her throat. "I guess I am, too. Sorry..."

It's an apology as useless as it is encompassing. Max shrinks into herself, not daring to look at Chloe.

Who, after a quiet second, sighs. "Max? Fuck...do you wanna get out of here?"

Max raises her head. Chloe is facing away from her. And even though there are trees obstructing the view, and years have gone by, Max knows exactly what she's thinking, and exactly what she's asking.

"Yeah. I'd like that."

"Then what are you waiting for, hipster?" Chloe gestures at her truck.

Max grins up at her. "Nothing. Not anymore."

Chloe smiles at her. They get into the truck, and Chloe drives away from Blackwell, towards the beach, and the trail to the lighthouse.

Chloe says, "It's...good to see you again. Even if it's going to take a while for me to wrap my head around you and Rachel swapping spit. Within hours of meeting her. Didn't know you had it in you, Max."

"Neither did I! Rachel..."

"Brings out your wild side, huh? " Chloe hesitates. "I'm sort of used to Rachel...though _this_..." She gestures at Max and herself. "Well, I'm still figuring out how pissed I am at her. How are you handling it?"

Max wonders, but decides not to ask, just how pissed Chloe's decided to be with her.

"I don't know." Max groans. "And it's been a really confusing day, already. Rachel's...trying to patch things with me. She seems like she's trying hard, too. But I only got talking to her because, well I think I might have accidentally made friends with Victoria Chase?"

Chloe stares at her for as long as road safety permits. "The fuck? Okay, we're hitting the nearest store for supplies. This could be a long talk."

"Okay. I...thanks, Chloe. Oh!" Max roots around in her bag and produces the cookies. "These are for you. Uh. I-if you want them..."

Chloe glances at the box and grins. "They're junk food. I want them. Now what is this about you becoming besties with Satan's preppiest daughter?"

Max laughs. "It's...complicated. And it sort of starts with what happened in Seattle."

"The day is ours, Max. Tell me everything."

And, slightly shocked and so very grateful at how easily it happens, Max does.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, folks!
> 
> And special thanks to [@Lola_McGee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lola_McGee/pseuds/Lola_McGee) for betaing, spitballing, and generally making this whole series a reality!
> 
> (And, yes, Grit fans, I'm late again, but it's coming soon! This weekend, for sure. Just needs a bit more work.)
> 
> Drop us a comment, because comments are the best!
> 
> And have a good day!


End file.
